“Investments in trails across the state help build local economies by attracting bicycle travelers who want safe and inviting facilities. We’re pleased that the Washington Bikes policy team was able to collaborate with legislators from both parties to bring trail funding to an all-time high in the state capital budget.”

The biggest winner in the bunch is the Foothills National Recreation Trail in Pierce County, which received $3.8 million from Recreation and Conservation Recreation Funds and $1.7 million from the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program.

The $5.5 million will pay for construction to close gaps in the rail-trail that exist between South Prairie and Buckley. Separate projects will connect an “orphaned” section of paved trail that sits in the Wilkeson Creek canyon. There’s also the cost of replacing a fallen bridge. Pierce County had recently moved to gain title to private property that blocked access to the 1.2-mile trail segment, but needed funds to build trails connecting the segment.

When complete, the 15-mile main section of the Foothills Trail that rolls from Puyallup, through Orting to South Prairie, will extend all the way to Buckley for a total distance of 25 miles. In addition to providing another form of transportation to Buckley, which does not have bus service, it will improve the bicycle tourism climate to this trail that runs near Mount Rainier National Park.

Whitehorse Trail covered in ballast. Sign at left warns that trail is undeveloped and hazards exist

Another big winner is the Whitehorse Trail in Snohomish County. The largely undeveloped rail-trail leaves the Centennial Trail just north of Arlington and follows the North Fork of the Stillaguamish River for some 27 miles to Darrington.

A portion of the trail was buried in the deadly Oso landslide in 2014. Other sections have been washed away by creeks or are inaccessible due to missing bridges.

The state is funding $1 million to design and develop trail improvements, which are expected to help further revitalize the bicycle tourism industry.

The state budgeted $460,000 to a section of the trail north of Crescent Lake known as the Spruce Railroad Trail. State, federal and county projects are improving the dirt trail to pavement. One part of the program will open up a tunnel that was dynamited shut after the railroad abandoned the corridor.

Other funds will go to improve the Olympic Discovery Trail in the vicinity of Discovery Bay, located between Port Townsend and Port Angeles.

The state parks received $582 million to improve the Willapa Hills Trail in the vicinity of Pe Ell. The trail runs for 56 miles between Chehalis and Sound Bend on the coast. Paved on either end, the trail is largely undeveloped in between with long stretches of trail covered is dirt, rocks and grasses.

Pe Ell is one of the midpoint trailheads. Improving the trail through there would certainly improve bicycle tourism.

Other improvements on the trail are reaching completion; notably installation of two bridges at Spooner Road and Dryad that were washed away by floods several years ago. Also, a long bridge near Adna will get redecking so it’s rideable.